Sensis concedes Australian web search to Google

Starting in Q1 2009, web searches through the Sensis portal and partner sites such as bigpond.com will be provided by Google.

Sponsored AdSense for Search ads will appear on the search results in a similar layout to Google Search: above the results and in a right-hand column.

Advertising revenue will be split between Google and Sensis.

Sensis would not disclose how much money was spent on developing the abandoned Sensis web search engine.

Further, from Q1 2009, Yellow directory business listings will appear in Google Maps. This means that as well as searching for addresses, users can search for businesses listed in Yellow and receive details as well as maps.

“The agreement means Yellow advertisers can now potentially be found by more customers than ever before,” said Sensis CEO Bruce Akhurst.

Akhurst said that the Yellow directory was accessed by 11 million Australians every month, for over 150 million page impressions. Recent SEO work had brought in an extra 1 million users per month.

Prices to advertise in Yellow would not rise as a result of the partnership, said Akhurst.

Google GM A/NZ Karim Temsamani said, “This agreement is great news for our users who now have the most comprehensive source of Australian local business information at the click of a mouse through Google Maps.”

Temsamani said that Google had established similar relationships with listing companies in the UK, Canada and USA.